Red Rower
by Whiteandorange
Summary: A story of a protagonist who is thrown into pits of chaos and is forced to make a choice...whether to live a life with comforts of destiny or struggle through hardships of freedom.
1. Prologue

PROLOGUE

September 26.

Streets of Kramberg are once again packed with protestors. Flags and posters are furiously waved in the air. Shouts of democracy echo.

I was there that day. The day everything went to hell.

I stood ahead of my peers, my right hand righteously in a fist. We've been here for months, protesting this damn war, but the government, or anyone else didn't seem to care. That's when more of us came out. Something was very wrong here.

We realized that what we said and what we wanted suddenly no longer mattered.

How did this happen? When did our voices lose power and meaning?

Each day more and more joined the protest and each day the miniature "regulatory" army across us grew in size.

Until that day, when I stood ahead of me peers, my right had righteously in a fist.


	2. One: the beginning

CHAPTER I

"Please refrain from crossing the Red Line. Please refrain from crossing the Red Line." A small, white wagon passed the streets, the message playing through its speakers in a loop.

"Please refrain from crossing the Red Line."

"They drew a 'line' now?" Dolan glared at the passing vehicle. "This is moronic."

"Next thing we know they gonna try and push that line back." Someone mumbled.

"This is bullshit! We're not going anywhere!"

"Who the hell the think they are?"

The group angrily shouted their disapprovements, soon evoking another heated discussion about misguided federal decisions and action. I walked off with Dolan.

"You wanna grab a cup of mocha?"

Dolan and I knew each other since college. He was one of those folks who knew everything there is to know. I was one of those who had no clue. Naturally, we've became friends.

I'd spent most of my time in his room, going through his books and music. Once in a while I would find myself starring down a porn magazine, amateurishly stashed between Greek literature and modern history books.

"Isn't it a sin to keep a copy of Hustler right next to The Original Bible Print?" I'd tease.

"..That…needs to be put in a trash can…" He blushed.

"Trash can...? Man you suck at hiding porn."

"I'm not hiding it!"

This would end with me being hit on head with a rolled up Hustler volume.

"Ewwwww! Don't touch me with that thing!"

Now, a year after graduating, Dolan and I were closer than family.

"How long do you think this will go on?" He asked while sipping his coffee.

"Hah. As long as we permit it." I answered.

"I'm serious."

I paused and looked at my friend. "You're losing faith in us?"

He didn't answer and kept starring out the window.

"Helloooo…Dol –"

BANG!

My nagging was interrupted by a load explosion.

"What the hell was that?" Both of us jumped and run out outside.

Perhaps…we shouldn't have.


	3. Two: Interrogators

CHAPTER II

It was chaos. People run from all direction. Everyone was screaming.

"What happened?"

"They fired!" Mark, one of the protestors, was jerking my hand. His face was covered in dirt and what seemed to be blood. "They FIRED at us!"

"What?"

Dolan and I followed Mark to the Main Street Square, where the protest was going on since April. We arrived to a massive stand off.

On one side, across the Red Line Street, stood the patrols. On the other, the protestors.

"Dolan…"

"I know. They're wearing gas masks." He begun to move, but I caught his arm.

"Where are going?"

"I'm going to tell them to step back. This is not good. You know they are waiting for us to slip and if we do….." He paused and looked at me. I knew what he was going to say. I hesitated as an unfamiliar feeling came over me. My hearted skipped and my stomach turned into a knot. When I looked up, Dolan was no longer there. The wave of angry protestors, shouting and waving their fists in the air, swallowed him whole.

"I'm going to tell others as well!" said Mark.

"Alright. I'm going left." Or at least I though I would.

The crowd current kept pushing me forward until I reached the "first flanks". I realized these people were the problem, they were the main interrogators. They were shouting taunts and profanity at the other side of the street.

_That's the last thing we need_ - I thought - _pissing them off…_

"Stop it! Stop! You're provoking them!" I tried to over scream them, but they didn't hear me…or didn't want to. "HEY! STOP!" I grabbed one of them by the collar "YOU'LL CAUSE PROBLEMS!"

He pushed me.

A second later I was standing on the Red Line Street. Facing the patrols.


	4. Three: on the line

CHAPTER III

The fine officers of patrol force stood before me in perfect ranks. They didn't move and neither did I, fearing that my next step may be the wrong one. I looked up, but couldn't see their faces behind the masks. Slowly and steadily I stepped back.

Shouts behind me grew louder and closer. Apparently, my accidental and unfortunate move to the Red Line was an action of activism that signaled the rest to follow – something I did not intend.

"What are you doing?" I heard Dolan calling out to me.

"I'm not!" I tried to explain, but he was too far. The crowd moved steadily forward across the street. The situation was quickly spinning out of control and I didn't know how to stop it. The harder I pushed the harder they pushed back until we stood in the middle.

"Please refrain from crossing the Red Line." One of the patrols stepped forward and faced me.

_I'm not leading this…_

"Please step back." His authoritative voice was clear and commanding. "You are not permitted to cross."

"We will cross where we wish!"

"We have Civilian Rights!" tension grew.

"The Civilian Rights have been suspended as of September 25. You're actions are no longer legal." The officer spoke without hesitation.

"What?"

"You are strongly advised to remain at your perimeter until farther notice." He spoke.

_Until farther notice? To whom?_ My thought turned. I was no longer on defense, but rather joining the crowd in its disbelief and frustration.

"The Civilian Rights cannot be canceled without civilian agreement or input!" Anger hurried my words before my thoughts. The officer did not answer and headed back.

"Hey!" I yelled, but it was obvious he had no intentions of repeating himself.

This was it.

The fact that we had no rights settled upon us with dreadful silence. No one said a word.

You can always disagree and rebel, but when your rights are taken away - your courage wanes. Until now you had a legal backbone, but it has been pulled out.

Will you cross the line? Will you break the law? Are you ready to accept consequences? I knew these questions were playing in the minds of those behind me. This is a protest and that's all it was ever intended to be. _I'm sure there must have been a mistake. The rights being "suspended"…_I stood puzzled. At that time we were committing an illegal action and they had all the right to stop us, with force if necessary.


	5. Four: prephase

CHAPTER IV

I looked at the people behind me. Abiding citizens, who had careers and families. Scarcely any of them would risk their current lifestyle to break the law. Slowly, some of them begun to stepped back.

I felt flustered; like a child whose put into a crib and told to stay there for an absurd reason, or in our case, no reason at all. I looked back again and saw about three dozen faces, as angry and bewildered as I am. I saw Dolan. He was starring at me. I knew what he was thinking: "Come back here. Let's talk. This is serious. We have time."

But I didn't. I just stood there, my fists clenched.

"Please step back." I heard an order from an officer ahead.

I did not move.

"You are advised to return to your premises."

Dolan's intense stare was burning a whole in my head.

"We have a right to be here." I spoke and turned towards the Main Street Square, heading back.

I was so close.

Dolan's expression. It was saying something.

..Then I heard a loud crack.

My body thumped against the asphalt and something warm ran down my face. I slowly opened my eyes and saw about three patrol officers hovering over me. I tried to yell, but choked. Coughing up my own blood, I peered up and watched the horrid scene unfold. The militia let lose. They were grabbing anyone they could get hands on, throwing them down, and pulling out the batons. Slowly, my hearing cleared and I could hear the screams echo through the streets. Gas, panic, blood. There were more officers hovering over me now, shoving and thrashing. I heard an eerie click, cold steel wrapped tight around my wrists. One of them kneeled and took off his mask.

"I told you to step ba—"

He ended his words with a loud whop across my face.

And then it all went black.


	6. Fivesix: the salem

CHAPTER V

Silence.

I awoke in a dimly lit room emanating with a red glow, and broke into a fierce series of coughs and gasp as if something was choking me.

The militia went too far. I could not believe this has happened. What are we going to do? Our rights have been "suspended" and we were brutally arrested for protesting a ludicrous war in our own province.

I never felt this weak. My arms shook and gave out as I tried to sit up.

_Where am I?_ I looked around puzzled, trying to identify the shapes in the dark room. One thing for sure, this wasn't a usual prison cell. There were no bars, no windows, and apparently no doors. This room was empty, metal wall to wall. I blinked hard a couple times, clearing a blurry vision. Seconds later I learned I wasn't the only one in this cell.

Before me lied about a dozen others. Their faces were covered in bruises and dried blood. It was hard to identify who these people were, but it was clear that they were here for the same reason.

I swayed and plumped against the wall behind me. The air was heavy. I broke into another series of coughs.

"Hanna…"

The sound of my own name made my jump. I froze and listened.

"..ann.." someone breathed.

I gazed searchingly around, trying to identify who was calling me. A heavy sigh let lose to my left.

It was Dolan.

His shirt was torn and soiled. His face was bloody, bruised, and unrecognizable.

"Jesus Christ. Dolan…" I couldn't control my nerves and broke into violent sobs. Seeing my friend like that, beaten to a pulp and barely breathing made my heart clench and my throat tighten. I inched towards him and use what strength was left to help him sit up.

"Hanna…out" He breathed.

"Hold on." I tried to gather myself.

_Ok…we are…._I gave the room another intense inspection. There was a shaft vent about six feet away, but with Dolan's condition that was not an option.

"…ust et out…" Dolan kept whispering with each exhale.

"Hey!" My voice cracked "Anyone's ok?"

"Hann…"

"If you can hear me…" I looked searching among the bodies around us. No one moved.

"..—hern us…"

I gathered strength and took a deep breath, "HEY! Let us out! Someone's hurt!" No one answered. There was dead silence and no echo. The room dimmed.

"What the hell?" I banged my fist against the wall "Hey! Let us out!"

Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm.

"Dolan…hang in there…" I whispered and tried to wiggle out of his grip, but it was stronger than I thought. I winced and looked up at my friend.

He starred at me with eyes wide open. In the dim, crimson glow of the room I couldn't see his face, but his gaze sent chills down my spine.

"HANNA! GET OUT!"

I don't remember standing up, but I remember standing.

How? Where did this strength come from? I looked down at Dolan.

He was dead…

His voice continuously playing in my head:

"Hanna…get out"

"Hanna you must get out…"

"HANNA, THEY WILL BURN US"


End file.
